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Dec 24, 2012

Review: Reached by Ally Condie

Title:Reached

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books

Publishing Date: November 13, 2012

Pages/Format: 512, HardcoverAfter leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

In this gripping conclusion to the #1 New York Times-bestselling Matched trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.Initial Reaction of Book in One Word: DUNNOIt's been about an hour since I finished the conclusion to the Matched trilogy, and I'm still not sure what to say or what I think about it. I think the problem with this trilogy is that it's frustrating, stuck in the in-between of good and bad. They're not bad, but they're not very good, either. They kind of leave me feeling nothing, and that's such a shame, because the concept is great and there's all this hype but something is just missing. What that something is, I do not know.I'll start with the book itself. It took me quite a while before I really got into it--that may have just been me or the actual book. And now I'm reminded off all the issues. (SPOILERS AHEAD) Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Cassia consume a red tablet in Crossed? She did, didn't she? She took it and then we never heard about it again. So she goes to take one in Reached, not knowing if she'll forget or remember what happened--which is stupid, because she should know since she's already taken one. This bothered me constantly. And then there's the Pilot. I still don't have a damn clue who it is. A person was constantly referred to as the Pilot, but he was never given a description. Also, this series could really use a map of everything, because I hear Cammas and Central and this and that and I never really know where it is because I forget and then I am lost. Another thing: how many potential relationships are needed in these books? It's not a love triangle--it's a freaking love octagon or tree. More than once I was unsure of what was really going on, and how this scene jumped to that scene. Like I said, it's frustrating.Oh, and then there's this:

"So many questions, and I may never have the answers." (471)

Is this a way of Cassia saying that the reader isn't going to get all the answers? Because I feel like I still have questions that don't have answers. It's kind of like Cassia read my mind.This book does have positives. I like the characters. Cassia's a rebel in her own way, and she really does love Ky and Xander. She really finds herself in this book, and she sacrifices a lot to try and make things right. Similarly, Ky and Xander both love Cassia. I feel like there's less Ky in this book when compared to the others, but things...happen. More is seen of Xander, and he really changes, maybe more than anyone else. There are some other characters that I don't want to mention for reasons, but I like most of them.I think the problem with this book is that it lacked a climax. Sure, things happened that were big and shocking--and I may have slapped the book a couple times. But nothing felt like a huge WOW or slap in the face. I liked how there's all this stuff happening, but some of it seems disconnected from the previous books. Matched is all about Ky and Cassia being together. Crossed is about them finding each other, and then searching for the Rising and the Pilot. And then Reached is about the Plague. Each one's so different, and I feel like new information is announced in each one. I'm almost speechless--I don't know what to say about these books.After three books, I can say the same thing: okay, anti-climatic, disappointing. Sure, I got teary sometimes when reading the books, but I have no idea why. I want to love these characters and I hate to say goodbye, but I just can't and I have to. I wish I could say that I love these books. Part of me wants to reread them at some point, because then I might like them better. (Note: I really liked the last lines of this one.) I just wasn't matched, the hype crossed me, and I reached the last pages feeling something, but not enough.If you're interested, you can see my thoughts on the first two books in the trilogy, MatchedandCrossed.

Did I like it? Yes.

Did I love it? No.Would I reread it? Yes--I want to know if a reread would change my thoughts on it.

7 comments:

I just want to say that the red tablet makes you forget and if it makes you forget what just happened then Cassia would not know she took it in a previous book. Although she randomly remembers that she took them later because her grandfather told her about the red letter/red garden day thing she doesn't remember that she took them up until that point because she wasn't immune to them like Xander and Ky.

She didn't take the red tablet in Crossed and even if she had she wouldn't remember because she wasn't immune like Ky and Xander. I don't agree with your review at all. The Pilot is supposed to be a "no one". we aren't supposed to know what he looks like or who he is. We know he is a he and that is it but I think that's the beauty of him. He could be anyone just like in real life you never know who could be our next president or leader or anything. I am sorry but your review is wrong it is a great book with a great message. just because you have to look a little deeper than normal doesn't make it bad like you have implied. Reached has a deeper message than other books just like real life. YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT. it wont just show up in your face. so if you still think that it isn't that good of a book read it again. Just saying.

I meant to respond to this forever ago (SO SORRY!), but I think she'd be okay. There's romance, but nothing explicit or anything (from what I remember). I think she'd be okay and that this is pretty safe. (:

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Hi! I'm Rachel, an avid reader and aspiring author who tends to write incoherent-yet-coherent reviews. I love all things bookish and am constantly adding books to my majorly overflowing shelves and TBR pile. Like books, animals and Disney are my own personal brand of heroin. I want to go to Neverland, and my favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast, of course.

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